Daily Yellowstone journal., 1887-01-18
A BROKEN HEART.

DOWN. III INC ucHrl 81 hcut-tiul moSt
beautiful Of English countieS-slands the
grand old Norman castle Of Ayunlcigh.
Built upon u gentle elevation 1t commands
q splendid view Of the richest scenery.
Broad stretches Of forest whose giant
trees dwiudle into mere atom ia the dis
lance. Gently undulating hills, merging
into the bluest skies in the dim distance,
with here and there a tiny glimpse of sill
yer SEA.
II was the eve of that most disastrous
internal struggle, 1.-THE War of the
Roses, " when the fair flag Of England
was stained with the blood uf her uublest
sons. Lord John de Grey, the master of
Avonleigh, had alreody declared himself
warm adherent OF the house Of York,
and when the tide Of wal mingled its
turbulent stream with the pure and
peaceful waters of domestic life the gray
haired earl was found fighting brayely
beside his only son.
A mellow day in autumn is drawing TO
close, the soft light OF a harvest moon
Is c%ontending for supremacy with the
shadows of the sinking sun. In a little
while the castle is bathed in the tender
moonlight, the %clinging ivy leaves glisten
like silver and tremble from the faintest
perfumed breeze.
The earl's only daughter, Lady Miriam,
. fair haired maiden with a wunlrously
beautiful fac, is down in the quaint old
garden. drawn thither by the singular
beauty of the night; and, verify. moon
never shOn' upon fairer form than hers,
and the flowers sent forth their sleeping
incense "a greet this living Rose Of
Avonleigl,"
As she stopped 10 pluck a white rose
from its thUrny stem the delicate finger
was pierced and a crimson drop stained
the rose : purity. but no murmur escaped
her, and gathering up the folds Of her
white robe she walked slowly back to the
castle.
Young and beautiful, surrounded with
weallh and pleasures, this young girl
knew not what ~uuhappiness meant; like
q bird whose gildcd cage protects and
shelters her. life indeed was all sunshine
without IA shadow.
Though ruIuurs of war were in the air
and men spoke in serious tones of the
strife which seemed inevitable, 10
thought ri danger marred the calm happi-
ness Of her existence.
Already she had given her heart To
young Wilfred Aylmer, as brave snd
handsome a youth as the sun ever shonc
upon, and whose strong, young arm shall
also lie welded in the cause of the noble
house of York.
Through the wide, dimly lighted hall
way Lady Miriam walked slowly and al
most unconsciously, clasping the nov hall
crimsoned rose 10 her bosom, until she
reached her fathers study.
The old earl sat in profound thought
and did not heed the soft football until a
tender cheek was laid against his own.
what a dark brown study my dear
father Is in murmurcd the sweet voice.
The earl's face was scanned and shad-
owed with care as he lifted his head and
o sudden paleness oyerspread his features
when he saw the white rose which she
la%ughingly held up to his gaze.
81 was thinking Of you, my pear" he
replied, drawing the fair hend down to
him and kissing the sweet. childish
mouth, but now that you are here, - he
added. like a CLEAN Of sunlight among
my shadows. | am no longer sad. But
seeing a shade Of pain in her eyes he
added hastily
81 was indeed thinking Of the time
when some une would rob me Of the fair
est flower ia my garden of roses"
She chided him lovingly for thinking
too soon, and, with her accustomed prayer
and good night kiss, left him.
Up the wide staircase she goes, slowly
and thOughtfully, now through the great
picture gallery. where the old fashioned
but beautiful faces Of other Lady Miriams
looked down upon her. Wasi the weird
xnAafa1f Vlf that tu.1a ghnEa I.al T.Aau
seem 10 bend from their stiff frames and
cause u CLEAN ~ sadness TO light up the
dead eyes that seemed TO follow her as
she passed beneath theml
She soon reached her ~favorite room,
high In the west wing. a coy nook,
where she loved TO look upon the moon
light scene without and inhale the faint
fragrance Of The garden beneath,
Lady Miriam's lite had indeed been like
10 the unrutiied bosom Of a clear, calm
lake. Her placid bosom had never been
disturbed by n sad thought. True, within
the past few months. her heart had awak.
ened, budlikc, 10 the new aud sweet
knowledge Of another love. That very
morning she had been plighted to Sir
Wilfred Aylmer. and their marriage
would he celebrated when the war cloud
had rolled past,
Long aud sadly the earl unused that
night: his heart was full Of lorebOding OF
coming sorrow. What IL in this war
which every day seems more imminent he
should fall' What II this, his one eve
lamb, should he OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES He
tried TO drive away his gloomy imagin-
tngs by recalling the sweet face ot her
who had just left him with words OF love
and hope, and prayed that this "bitter
cbalice" might pass away
But, alas n month later saw the rival
parties engaged In determined and deadly
strlfe-saw also the white haired earl
and his son fighting side by side with
young Wilfred Aylmer.
Oh, selfish kings and avricious princes,
how little We reckon the cost OF your
erowns how little ye care. News tray-
eled slowly IN those days, but medieval
maidcns did not sigh and pine like us OF
modern times, but looked hopefully for
the triumphant return OF their y%ictors,
their minds being nodded and tinted to
their warlike surroundings. Battles
BODIED only an ncoess Of honor and glory.
Rumors at lcugth reached Avouleigh
that n great and decisive battle had been
fought, In which the house 81 York had
triumphel. Preparations on a magnif-
cent scale bad commenced at the castle
for the return Of the victors. Joy bells
rang from every steeple and bclfry IN the
village. All were jubilant In the belief
that their noble lord was coming home
with honors. All, but here was A mes
senrer at last riding in hot haste. lie
looked neither 10 the right nor the left "a